dark13star

It has been hot here in Colorado, too hot. Because of the temperature, I have been trying to ride up high as much as I can. I rode Mt. Evans (14,130') three times in the past month and am generally much happier any time I am over 10,000', where it is nice and cool. This is a great benefit of Colorado, you can always find cool air up high.

Today I decided not to drive so far, so I rode up from the plains to about 9,700'. I did about 80 miles, and the parts below 8,000' were too hot. I have really noticed that heat takes more out of me than altitude. I do really well in high, thin air, as long as it is cool. As I descended into the heat today, I felt it suck the energy out of me, even on a 23 mile descent. The hot air was just blasting up the canyon when I got down to 7,000'.

Anyone else find heat more difficult than altitude?

RoadToNowhere

Altitude isn't an option here, but I definitely feel better, ride better when it's cool/cold. The humidity here has been brutal; like trying to suck in air and getting a lung full of mist.

Beth

jooaa

Heat kills me.

uke

I don't ride in anything above 80 degrees.

Creakyknees

You have got to be kidding me. A rule like that would keep me off the bike from late March, well into November.

Heat and altitude are both environmental factors that the body can adapt to with time and a little smart riding.

I raced a crit today, the car thermometer said 100F before I rolled around to "warm up" and 106F when I dug into the cooler after the race. Just another summer day in Texas.

logdrum

Start riding early and do not stick it into the flatland people. You do make it sound like you are an excellent climber , relish on hypoxiaand you probably are but 14K climbs are rare and maybe you should ask the regional discussion forums where a lot can relate. Most of the US population will faint at 7K elevation.

It's probably hotter in New Mexico but we've been cruising the canyons and valleys just fine with dust storms thrown in. But if you want heat proof riders -- ask the Arizona guys how they do it. Went there last week and me and my buddy started at 5:30 and it was already burning by 8:00. He was barely fazed by it.

I've done the Sandia Crest ride (the hardest one we have in Albuquerque) 2 times this year and it was definitely harder to move the pedals at 10,700 ft. I had no problems going back to 5000 ft.

mrbubbles

No he is not kidding. I do the same, but in Canada.

Terex

Optimal temperatures for endurance sport performance is about 10C (50F), and decrease with decreasing temperature. There are probably models that calculate the expected effect of altitude. It's a definite benefit to be in thinner air if you're TT'ing (e.g. hour record attempts)

PhateX1337

"hot air" HA! you move to the southeast, and I'll move to Colorado - then you'll feel heat. True, wet, humid heat. I would love to be in Colorado where it is 88 and no humidity. In the words of the wise one, HTFU.

ShadowGray

Thing is, you perform better if it's cooler (unless there is SO little air that you fall over because of altitude sickness). With good heat, you exhaust yourself out faster and the ultimate gain of having more air is nullified.

dark13star

I wasn't trying to stick it to anyone. Also, 14,000' is the top altitude of Evans, not the amount I climb to get there. It is more like 3,500' or 7,000', depending on where I park. I like to climb, but have no idea how good I actually am at it. Plenty of people discuss climbing on this forum and there are mountains in various regions of the world (granted, some higher than others), so I don't see why this belongs in a regional discussion.

As for starting early, I generally do, but after five or six hours of riding, it is going to be hot, no matter what time I start. Altitude is a better solution for me. The scenery is great too.

dark13star

Ok, you may have a point about HTFU, because I melt in humidity. However, 88 is more like the high altitude temp lately. It was 100 at my house in denver today. Granted, 15% humidity, but it is still hot.

RoadToNowhere

Doesn't count.

At least without the humidity you can sweat efficiently.

rousseau

I ride better in the heat. Optimum riding temperature is between 25 and 30 degrees for me. Though I do ride throughout the winter down to -5.

uke

Not kidding; I don't do well with heat. Even indoors, I'm uncomfortable at 80. Sitting outside in 80+ weather is enough to get me sweating in a few minutes.

So if I'm going to ride, I prefer it to be in cooler weather. Since it's summer in KY, I tend to ride only in the hour before sunset (and even then, it can be well into the 80s).

I think everyone can adapt to heat, but not everyone wants to. To me, a great day for being outdoors is one with a high between 60 and 70.

Impulse666

Atlanta, GA. 92 Fahrenheit and 79% humidity today. I'll tell you all about hot and sweaty. I was in California last week and I rode for hours midday in the same heat, with damn near no humidity. I don't like riding after 9AM here in the summer.

rooftest

Out here, we call that "winter."

Bob Dopolina 

I prefer altitude.

I rode 5 hours yesterday. It was 32C at just over 1000m. Decending down into the leeward side of the mountains there was low cloud cover and it was 26C or so. I had to zip up as I was a little cool during the 20+ minute descents. That's pretty much 10 months a year here as a LOW.

My Saturday ride was 4 hours and my computer said 43.4C at one point. That's all with VERY high humidity.

Around here we get up early and ride.

fosmith

i don't feel one bit sorry for you. at least it isn't humid heat... i'd ride in dry heat any fkn day, at altitude if it meant never having to deal with 90 degrees/100% humidity again. oh, how i miss durango.

ehidle

I'll take 100 in Colorado over 80 in Philadelphia ANY DAY. A couple of weeks ago, I left the house one sultry Sunday morning. It was 77 degrees and 100% humidity. I was pouring sweat off of me within a couple of miles, and it wasn't long before I had exhausted my fluid supply. Luckily, the Sun rose high enough in the sky to raise the temperature to about 95, which lowered the relative humidity to about 80%. This allowed some evaporative cooling to take place, which made it slightly more comfortable as long as I was moving.

I spend a month in Colorado every summer just loving the hell out of it. My favorite climbs are of course the passes (Vail, Squaw, Loveland, Independence, etc), Mt Evans, Lefthand Canyon, and Lookout Mountain for quick, ego-boosting repeats. As a low-lander, if I get much above 10k, the local yokels on huffies start making me feel bad about myself.

There's some damn-beautiful riding out there.

Bantam

We're dealing with 95-100+ in South Carolina with sweltering humidity. I'm still riding 5-6 days a week.
I pull on the arm warmers below 75-80 on low humidity days.

dark13star

You folks riding in the heat and humidity prove my point. We Coloradans are spoiled wimps.

Seriously, some people comment on the altitudes we ride, but I really find acclimatizing to altitude easier than heat. Most people, even if visiting, can exercise ok at up to 9,000'. Some have trouble between 9k-12k, the height of many ski areas. Over 12k is for the acclimatized. It can be dangerous.

I guess there is a similar process for adjusting to heat, but I have lost my ability to deal with it. I was in Washington D.C. last week and tried to take a run outside. I had to run on the treadmill instead, the most boring thing I can imagine.

Those who can ride in 90 degrees with 90% humidity, I toast you with my next cold beer (it is still the coffee time of day here).

ehidle

Amen to that. The very first time I went to CO to ride about 5 years ago, I got the "headache" on my way out to Estes Park - which didn't really get any higher than 8k or so (correct me if I am wrong). The more I went out there, though, the faster it seemed I would get used to it, and now I can get off the plane and ride up to 10k the same day without any problems.

Granted, I think a lot of it has to do with knowing how to pace myself better and not get so far in debt on the way up rather than some super-human ability to adjust instantly.

You might be a spoiled wimp, but I'd rather be a spoiled wimp living in Colorado than a fully Hot/Humid Acclimatized Monster back here.

PhateX1337

96 for the high today with 88% humidity and a 73 degree dew point

dark13star

Ouch. High of 94 here today with a dewpoint of 36. I have my swamp cooler running and keeping the house at around 73 by ADDING HUMIDITY!

Anyway, I do feel for you all. I rode a few summits with a friend yesterday and we toasted you all with some Golden City IPA.

Hang in there. September is only a month away.